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Yun Fatt Yap and Ziming Yap have more in common than a last name and an interest in computers.

The elder Yap, a 1987 graduate in electrical engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and his son, who studied computer science at UL, will share an alma mater Friday morning. Thats when the son will formally graduate with the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences at 9 a.m. at the Cajundome.

The father returned to his native Malaysia after graduation and eventually opened his own company, Advelsoft, which he has operated for more than 30 years. His son, however, will remain in Lafayette and work here after graduation at least for now.

Yun Fatt Yap said he chose to travel to Lafayette 10,000 miles from home for his higher education because in the 1980s there were few programs in Malaysia that would accommodate his interest in both engineering and computers. His course was about 50% engineering, 50% computer science.

He had been accepted at UL Lafayette, then the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and North Dakota, but opted for UL, which was more affordable for his middle-class familys budget.

But when his son was graduating from high school, there were more choices for college in his native country. The father said he did not push his son to study either in Malaysia or the United States, leaving the decision to him. UL was not only a good school, the dad said, but because he had also graduated UL, his son qualified as a legacy student, which included some scholarship money.

Ziming Yap said his initial choice for a course of study was mechanical engineering. But when he arrived in Lafayette four years ago, he saw how popular the computer science program was at UL Lafayette, and decided to enroll there.

Yun Fatt Yap said he had to make preparations for taking classes in Lafayette; English was not his native language so special study was in order. His son, however, had a better command of English when he applied to study in Louisiana.

When Yun Fatt Yap applied to school here, he knew little about the United States or Louisiana. There was no internet; he was not fully aware of what to expect. However, he found Cajun food to his liking and said local people were welcoming to him.

UL also attracted many international students, including about 600 from Asia, most of whom studied engineering and computer science. Petroleum engineering was a popular program. After completing his bachelors degree, he took a job with Seagate, an American company, in Singapore.

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Ziming Yap had an easier time in adjusting to Louisiana, although there were nonetheless some surprises. His father was a proud UL graduate and had kept up with his alma mater. There is a Ragin Cajun alumni group of some 200 people it mostly connects online in Malaysia. They stay in touch through Facebook and they meet at least once a year.

Yun Fatt Yap had not returned to Lafayette in 35 years, since his own graduation, before returning this week to celebrate his sons graduation. The campus was plenty recognizable he visited Madison Hall, where he used to attend classes, Cypress Lake and other familiar places although many buildings had been renovated. There were also some new buildings on campus he marveled at the new Student Union but he said the campus has retained its identity.

Im impressed with that, he said.

Father and son will enjoy graduation and do some traveling New Orleans and Houston in addition to their time in Lafayette. Before they leave, he said, hell enjoy his time in Lafayette.

And, he added, he needed to run by the bookstore to buy some T-shirts.

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Malaysian father returns to Lafayette after 35 years to watch son graduate from UL, his alma mater - The Advocate